Page 61 of Hidden Hero

Mary settled back in her chair. “I drove for the past couple of years. My son, Jed, took over when I decided it was more than I could handle. In fact, he’s scheduled to take Mrs. Sarah Weldon to the dentist tomorrow morning. He’ll stop by here after he drops her off if you’d like to catch him.”

Jeremy glanced at Pete, then nodded. “We might try to catch him before he comes by. What time would you expect him?”

“Eleven o’clock,” Mary replied, her smile never faltering. “He’s a good boy, my Jed. Always willing to help. If you need to speak to him before he comes here, just let him know to call me. He knows I worry about him.”

They thanked her and made their way back to the SUV. As Pete backed out of the driveway, Jeremy flipped open the notebook, scanning the names and dates listed over the past six months. His brow furrowed as a pattern emerged.

“Damn,” he muttered. “Mary and Jed Harborrow have driven every one of our victims.”

Pete whistled low. “That’s something. You want to bring him in tomorrow or talk to him at his mom’s place?”

Jeremy considered it momentarily, his fingers tapping lightly against the notebook’s cover. “Let’s bring him in. We’ll meet him after he drops off Mrs. Weldon.”

“Sounds good. Maybe this is the break we’ve been waiting for.”

Jeremy nodded, his thoughts turning back to Cora for just a moment. He’d take whatever minor victories he could find—on the job or in the quiet moments he shared with her. Knowing the larger fight was still out there didn’t make the smaller wins less satisfying.

27

“I’m so angry,” Cora muttered, her voice tight as she stirred the chili simmering in the pot. The rich aroma filled the cozy kitchen, but her agitation dulled her appetite.

Jeremy slid behind her, the warmth of his body brushing hers as he placed slices of bread, golden with butter, into the toaster oven. “What did they say, babe?” he asked, his voice steady and grounding.

She exhaled sharply, her grip tightening on the wooden spoon. “As soon as I got back to the hospital, I was summoned to the review office. You’d think a hospital that deals with attorneys all the time wouldn’t flinch at the thought of an autopsy. But no. I had to bring my documentation and explain, again, why I had legitimate suspicions about Mr. Parker’s death.”

Jeremy leaned casually against the counter, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on her with quiet intensity. His presence, so solid and unshakable, made her chest ache in a way that had nothing to do with frustration. She’d called him earlier, overwhelmed, and he insisted she come over for dinner. Homemade chili and buttered bread weren’t fancy, but the way he looked at her now made her realize she would have shown up for a saltine cracker if it meant being with him.

“Sounds like you shut them down,” he said, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

She set the spoon aside and turned to face him, needing the connection. “I did, but not without a fight. One of the members questioned whether Mr. Parker’s sister’s concerns were enough to warrant an autopsy. I even had Dan come in to give his opinion on why he called me in the first place.”

The words came to an abrupt halt as she noticed Jeremy’s jaw tighten slightly at the mention of Dan’s name. She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you dare pull a caveman act on me. I certainly don’t glare about any women you work with.”

A sheepish expression crossed his face, and she couldn’t keep her lips from curving slightly at the little boy’s chastised look.

“You’re right,” he said while nodding. “He’s a coworker, and if he’s on your side and helping, I’m glad.”

Her tension eased, and her lips curved a little further. “Thank you.”

“I’ll stop being an asshole, and please keep telling me about what happened. I really want to know, sweetheart.”

“Okay. Well, I told them I wouldn’t have final answers until the toxicology report came back. Until then, it could be a routine death—or something that required contacting the sheriff’s department.” Her lips quirked at the memory. “That didn’t sit well with the new lady on the board. She actually turned red and demanded to know what else could be done.”

Jeremy’s brow arched. “What did you tell her?”

Cora chuckled, rolling her eyes. “I told her that, by law, suspicious deaths have to be reported to law enforcement. And then I let her know that while she might want to gamble with the hospital’s liability, I take my responsibilities very seriously.”

Jeremy’s laughter rumbled through the room, warm and genuine. He stepped closer, his hands finding her shoulders, his thumbs kneading the tension that had been building all day. She sighed as his touch worked its magic, the tight knots unraveling under his firm, capable fingers.

“You should come work in the lab with me,” she murmured, tilting her head back and closing her eyes. “I’d get so much more done if I had you around to fix all my knots.”

When she opened her eyes, his face was so close she could see the teasing gleam in his gaze. His voice dropped, deep and rough. “If I could make a living just keeping my hands on you, I would.”

Her lips curved into a grin. “Maybe we should add that to your list of duties. I could put it in the budget under stress relief.”

He chuckled, low and rich, as he closed the remaining space between them. Their laughter melted into a kiss, warm and consuming. His lips captured hers with a tenderness that made her heart stutter, but the fire beneath quickly turned urgent. She leaned into him, her hands curling into his shirt, pulling him closer until her body molded to his.

She loved this—having someone to lean on, someone who listened, someone who didn’t shy away from the weight of her day but helped her carry it. His kiss grounded her, a reminder that she wasn’t alone in the chaos.

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